Reps. Rader, Brownlee Introduce FAMILY Act to Expand Medical Insurance for Ohio Youth and Families

COLUMBUS – State Reps. Tristan Rader (D-Lakewood) and Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Twp) today introduced the Fair Access to Medical Insurance for Local Youth and Families (FAMILY) Act to eliminate barriers to healthcare coverage for Ohio’s families. Access to affordable health insurance remains one of the largest barriers to good health for Ohio families and the economy. The Family Act (House Bill 438) ensures Ohio families and small business owners will not lose health insurance due to health or employment changes. This bill is a practical, people first approach to expanding access, lowering barriers to care, and ultimately lowering health care costs around the state.

“Every Ohio family deserves the peace of mind that comes from knowing their children and loved ones can see a doctor when they need to,” said Rep. Rader. “The FAMILY Act is about protecting families from discrimination, ending surprise medical costs, and ensuring access to the full range of essential health benefits. This legislation is a commonsense step to make health care more affordable, more reliable, and more fair for working parents, children, and small businesses across our state.”

“No one should have to worry about whether or not they can access medical care when they are sick or injured. Poor access to care leads to higher acuity healthcare needs, more lost work days, higher overall medical costs, and people who are stressed out about being sick or injured. Improving access to health insurance for Ohioans is imperative to improve the quality of life and the economy for Ohioans. Healthy Ohioans can foster higher lifetime earnings, making this an important investment into the health and economic wellbeing of families, but also in future economic growth. It is the responsibility of our state government to invest in our families and our future by passing this legislation,” said Rep. Brownlee.

The bill aims to:

• Protect families from discrimination due to preexisting conditions;
• Expand access to affordable healthcare coverage by establishing fair premium-rating rules, stabilizing the enrollment market for participating insurers; and
• Guarantee comprehensive benefits for Ohio families by requiring coverage for preventative services, reducing rising health care prices related to acute and crisis care.

The legislation awaits a House committee assignment in the coming weeks.